In the Eyes of a Prisoner
by coolgirlaamy
Summary: (AU) Sakura Haruno is a prisoner. As the war occurs around her, she is trapped in a camp with no freedom, oblivious to what is happening outside. With one mistake, she is forced to comply with the Captain's rules, forced to meet him every night. She doesn't know if she will ever have a chance to escape. She doesn't know if she will live to see the world outside once again.
1. Dreamer

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto at all. If I did, Sasuke would have came back a long time ago and realised he loved Sakura, get married and they could start rebuilding the Uchiha clan together. And Naruto would realize Hinata's feelings for him and they too could get married. Oh, Masashi Kishimoto L

I once thought that I would live an amazing life full of adventure. I would live a life of wonder. I once dreamed that I would travel the world, see new things, meet new people that I would grow attached to. I dreamt that I would fall in love with a Prince who would sweep me off my feet like they did in fairytales and we would ride off into the sunset on a majestic white horse. My dreams, however, were to be short-lived with parents like mine. Nothing that I dreamed was to be expected when I was living in Konoha, just as Hiruzen Sarutobi had come into power. Women weren't expected to have dreams. They didn't have to have dreams - our futures were already set in place.

Who would have ever thought that young Sakura Haruno's dreams would ever come true? I most surely did not. But fate and destiny seemed to play out in such strange, wondrous ways and my dreams would come true one day. Not to the exact detail, and not in the exact way I would have hoped, but they came true, alright. Almost all of my dreams came true.

…

It started off as a beautiful day, a day so beautiful that it was like God had decided to postpone Autumn for just a while longer, and it was more than perfect for that afternoon. A fervent sun blazed in the sky, no clouds visible in my line of sight - unexpected weather for the remaining days of September. There were leaves drifting through the lukewarm air like birds as they nested themselves in my hair. I fussed with the violin case in my grip as I lifted my hand to brush them out of my tousled locks. (My mother would have killed me if she had seen me in such a 'messy and unkempt' state. I couldn't find a husband looking like that, as per her words.) I felt a sudden burst of warmth travel across my skin as I watched them scatter across the path, crunching under my feet as our trio passed through, and I could faintly sense the scent of dumplings infused in the air. My nose tingled and my stomach grumbled in hunger while I passively noticed Temari and Tenten giggling over something that Temari had relayed to the both of us in my brief moment of distraction.

I'd just endured a 2 hour long violin lesson with Ebisu sensei, courtesy of my mother, and a break was highly needed and deserved. Ebisu sensei was most definitely the source of all of my problems in the world and there was no way I could withstand another lesson with the man. He was once a musical prodigy, I had heard from my mother, who had once travelled the world with an orchestra that had only contained the best musicians the world had ever seen and would only play in the biggest and best arenas in the world for the most important of people from royals to politicians, actors to Lords. Perhaps he may have been like that once but those times had passed and he was now a 50 year old teacher to future violin prodigies. He had been my mother's teacher and she too could have been like he had, a successful musician, but my grandfather had never allowed her, and instead of travelling country to country, she had been married to my father at the mere age of 19. She decided her daughter would be the best person to ever exceed her excellence, her daughter could be the only one who could carry on the dreams that she once had.

I couldn't tell her that there was no hope for me in the profession and even Ebisu sensei would have been unable to tell her. She would have been too heartbroken if word had ever reached her ears that her daughter was unable to live the life she had once wished for herself. I couldn't play a single piece without making a mistake and mistakes were something that were completely unwanted. What use was there of playing a piece of music if it couldn't be played in perfection? And I didn't know if that was my fault or Ebisu sensei's. His presence had such a high element of distraction in it. His loud bellowing voice constantly roared and yelled instructions at me. There was an intimidating and angry quality within his eyes every moment I played as if he was trying to say, 'I'm so much better than you'. I didn't understand how my mother had enjoyed playing in his presence. I, most certainly, could not, and I couldn't ever.

"Miss Shizune is furious that you haven't been coming to class lately. She said if you don't come to her next dance lesson, she will hunt you down," Temari said urgently, a hint of sarcasm within her voice.

She glanced at her bag from the corner of her eye before pulling it closer to her and rummaging through the layers of fabric and various items in search of something particular. She sighed in relief as she pulled it out and urgently shoved the sheet of paper into my firm grasp as I scanned over the contents. The adamant tone of our teacher's words emphasised her anger at my sudden disappearance from attending her weekly classes. It couldn't have been helped or resolved however, no matter how much I wouldn't have liked to have admitted it.

"I'll try but you know how my mother is. She wants me to play the violin just like she did and find someone to marry before it's too late," I sighed.

My mother would have rather that I played that damned instrument with Ebisu sensei as my instructor than to have ever allowed me to dance in Miss Shizune's class. She had been furious when she had first heard from a friend of hers that I had been spotted in the class while I had abandoned my lesson with Ebisu sensei. I didn't know if it was because she wanted me to follow in her footsteps and go further than she ever had or if it was due to the fact that she had a severe dislike towards Miss Shizune because she was a foreigner from Korea who had married a politician's son. I presumed it was both. And for that very reason, I could never go back to Miss Shizune's class, whether I wanted to or not. Nobody cared what I wanted. I had to do what my parents had decided for me, that was how things worked in my world.

We continued through the streets of our small town, engaged in deep conversation of current points of interest and events occurring within the community, as our homes loomed closer and closer with each step that we took. I could do nothing but enjoy the little time I was able to spend with the girls, time that I couldn't take for granted. Those moments that we would spend walking back from the Arts Centre in town was the little freedom that I ever had. The rest of my day was kept in captivity, my family holding me prisoner in our home because it was unacceptable for a woman to roam the streets 'unattended'. I could do nothing but to trust their judgement and hope that it was the best for me, even if I thought otherwise.

This line of thought was wiped from my mind as panting became audible in the distance, my head turning curiously towards the sound as it grew louder and the source drew closer.

"Sounds like your lover is here. Shall we leave you two alone?" Tenten asked mockingly. I froze in my steps, eyes widening as I rotated in the opposite direction. Lee came into view, running over to us as the bag on his shoulder swung from side to side from a distance. I turned back to meet her eyes as I tried to plead with her to make her stay.

Our mothers were close friends, somewhat distant cousins as our maternal grandmothers were related, and Lee's mother always seemed to have brought him along with her when she decided to pay my mother a visit every second day. It had become a routine for them to come and sit in the parlour of our vast home or vice-versa, and while our mother's conversed and laughed over cups of tea and cakes, I was left to 'entertain' Lee. We were forced to become friends, which he enjoyed more than I did, and eventually lead almost everyone in town to believe that we were betrothed to each other, to my distaste. Yes, Lee may have been a nice boy, but I didn't feel anything like that towards him - I had no romantic interest in him and I wasn't worth the time to be pursued by any man. His aim could have been directed elsewhere, to someone who would have actually given him the time of day.

"Sakura … it's good that…you're here. I-I had… I had to ask you something," he panted as he reached my side, his words replaced by airy breaths. Crouching down, he pressed his hand against the cool gravel beneath our feet as he tried to recapture the oxygen into his lungs. The bag, which I assumed contained his schoolwork, slid down from his shoulder and came crashing down to his feet as the contents spilled out onto the cold ground. I heaved a sigh of frustration, rushing to his side as I scooped them into my hands and placed them back inside.

"Sakura, we need to go or my mother will be mad that I came home late." They lived close by each other and would be taking the same path. "We'll see you at the dance class tomorrow, right?" Temari immediately created an excuse, running her fingers through her hair as the strands were pulled from her face. That was if my mother could be convinced to allow me, and she wasn't one who could be easily convinced to change her mind. I nodded in response anyway, returning my gaze to Lee, who had lifted himself from the ground, as he watched me with frightened eyes.

I turned to him, trying to soften my features, and asked him in curiosity, "So what was it that you wanted to ask me?". His bright spheres widened and he looked at me strangely as waves of nausea and uneasiness washed over me. The sickness sat in the pit of my stomach.

"I wanted to know if I could escort you to the dance at my school tomorrow if no one else has asked you yet," he mumbled, his voice almost inaudible, that I struggled to understand what he had initially spoken. It took a few moments to understand his words and finally realise the invitation.

The yearly Summer Ball at the all boys school was the biggest social event in Konoha. The school, which hosted the sons of the most affluent of people, from politicians to army Generals, pulled out all the stops to ensure the night was a success for the boys who were likely to be leaving Konoha in the fall and go to university abroad. The dance was invitation only, the invitation in the form of being invited by one of the students to act as their date for the evening. Despite being 19, I'd never been asked, though I had always wanted to, but according to the others, it was a magical experience. I always thought I would have been able to meet my fairytale prince there.

"I don't know if my mother would let me," I responded, glancing down at my feet - though this was utterly and completely a lie.

Mother had first met father there, their eyes meeting as they passed each other in the ballroom. She would have been overcome with joy if news had arrived that I had been invited. Yet, I didn't feel it was in my place to go. I didn't feel like I could go there with Lee as if we were a couple and act like I was delighted to be there with him. I didn't feel like I could go there and act out a lie while Lee would think that I felt the same way that he did. Yes, it wasn't in my place to go. He deserved to be there with someone that actually wanted to be his date, not just his closest friend.

Lee was staring at me, his eyes pleading with mine as if he was subliminally trying to convince me to say yes. He hung his head down in embarrassment as he noticed the boredom in my face, the uninterested approach to his question. As he'd moved to Konoha only a few months ago, it was going to be his first summer dance. He didn't know many of the other girls yet and he obviously didn't want to go to his first ball alone. And as his friend, I wanted him to enjoy his evening, not spend it in envy of everyone else who had someone to spend it with.

"I'd be honoured to go with you," I replied, feeling somewhat guilty towards him and myself, as he raised his head in surprise.

"Really? Thank you so much. I need to go get ready," He glanced down at his clothes before his eyes returned to meet mine, "I can't believe I'm going to the Summer Ball with the most beautiful girl in town!" he shouted in excitement. A ghost of a smile lingered across my lips, as he quickly sped off home, jumping in joy and leaping into the air in happiness.

…

"You look really beautiful tonight Sakura," Lee exclaimed in fascination, his eyes scanning leisurely over the features of my face and my attire for the evening.

My mother had requested that I looked my best for the formal event that evening. She had the maids secure my hair into a tight bun on top of my head, even if it meant tearing the hair out from the root as I sat back and tried to withstand the pain, with soft curls framing my face. They painted my lips with a luscious crimson and accentuated the shape of my eyes with a thick liner. My silk kimono, that my mother found in the back of my wardrobe whilst trying to find the perfect outfit, hung from my body like a second skin as the array of bright colours glistened under the diamonds of the chandeliers.

"Thank you," I replied, gazing at the venue in awe.

Beautifully designed paper lanterns infused with red and orange colours hung from the ceiling as intricately detailed flower vases sat on the vast tables as groups sat around them and conversed and laughed happily the excitement evident on their faces. The diamonds of the chandeliers glittered under the influence of the bright light as the dance floor below them occupied by the youth of our town while they swayed from side to side in time with the orchestra. There were so many people that I didn't believe that they all lived in our town, knowing that it was impossible for so many people to live there when I had never seen so many around when I passed through during violin lessons. Perhaps it was because I had never had the chance to join them or find the time to meet with them.

Music lingered in the backdrop of the ballroom, the faint voice of a woman singing in a line of falsetto notes becoming audible under the accompaniment of the orchestra. I spotted a few familiar faces around me, girls sending me questioning looks as I linked arms with Lee and walked into the crowd. Their eyes burned holes through my body, creating a feeling of discomfort within me, nausea sitting in the pit of my stomach. I suddenly began to regret coming. I knew that I didn't fit in with the other crowds of girls; I wasn't feminine enough to be around them, staying close with my own group because I was afraid of how they would treat me. It felt as though I was trespassing into their territory.

"Are you okay, Sakura?" Lee leaned his head down, his lips close to my ear, as he suddenly noticed the change of behaviour within me. He directed his eyes along the same route as mine, focussed them for a few moments, before nodding his head in realisation as he suddenly understood what was going on. "Don't pay attention to them. Those girls don't matter."

He seemed so confident and cool, as if he was immune to what everyone around us were thinking, immune to their harsh, critical thoughts. Everyone worried about what people would think about them, which was why everyone always seemed to try too hard to please each other, but it was as if Lee didn't care about what they were thinking. It was as if he only cared about what he was thinking, like he could ignore the looks that people would give him, ignore their burning stares as if they didn't exist. He only looked at me, looked at me as if I was the only person that was important.

It was a side of him that I had never had the chance to see. Lee had always seemed so weak in front of others, lacking the confidence that I had always thought my future prince would need. He seemed so much stronger as he dispersed their fleeting gazes and venomous words, and it was like he had managed to change in the brief period between our meeting the day earlier and the dance that night. For the first time, I finally realised how attractive he really was, how much he was like the prince that I had always dreamed of meeting, and my heart fluttered as my eyes glued onto him and followed every movement that he made in awe and fascination.

He cautiously stepped towards me, exhaling a cool breath as he outstretched his hand and gestured for me to follow. For a brief moment, I didn't know how to react, my eyes switching back and forth between him and the girls who were whispering fiercely amongst themselves, occasionally directing their eyes upon me. I took a single step forward, placing my hand within his as the heat of his palm transferred into my skin. My head slowly lifted to meet his cool, understanding eyes as he pressed his free hand against my back and took the leading role in our dance. And I let him take me into a world where he was the prince that I had always been searching for. 

…..

"I had a great time tonight Lee," I thanked him, my cheeks flushing to a bright red as the warmth of the room we had left minutes earlier remained on my skin. He was holding my hand within his, claiming that it was too cold out while his coat had became draped over my shoulders, trapping in the heat from my body and not allowing it to escape.

A brief giggle escaped from my lips as the events remained fresh within my mind. The way he acted so courageous, like a strong man was so unexpected from him, but I couldn't help but realise that I had always had this one perception of him, from the day that we had first met, that I hadn't managed to ever shake away. Ever since the first time we had met months earlier, bruised and bloodied as he had managed to get on the wrong side of some of the other boys in the town, I had always assumed him to be so weak, like a boy. The dance allowed me to shake that perception of him away and now, every time that I would think about him, he would merely be the strong man that I had danced and laughed with that night. It was also one of the first times that I got to know him, the real him.

His head tilted downwards, his eyes meeting mine through the stillness of the night, "It was my pleasure, Sakura."

The night sky was studded with pulsing diamonds, the moon bestowing a dim light upon our path. It was so beautiful that night, as if the beauty of that ballroom had transferred to it's surroundings and enchanted the night. There were no sounds to be heard, and no light to be seen but that of the stars and moon above us, contrasting against the darkness of the night sky. Everything was so peaceful and serene, so quiet and beautiful that it was like nothing could have been able to disturb it. Nothing at all.

Lee halted in his steps and nodded his head as we had reached my home. He slowly turned towards me and bid me an almost silent goodbye, his hand brushing against mine as he slowly pulled it away, the heat escaping into the surrounding air. His body turned in the opposite direction almost reluctantly, the happiness washing away from his face as he retreated home, knowing that our evening together was over. My feet began to carry me along the path as I scurried towards the house, leaving him behind in a pursuit of warmth as a cold breeze washed over me and the coldness licked up and down my spine.

Unconsciously, my eyes directed upon him as he slowly shuffled his feet against the path, his shoulders dropped as though he was exhausted or disappointed in how the evening had gone. I found myself turning in his direction, rushing towards him until we were mere inches apart. My hand reached forward, my arm brushing against his as I thought carefully of my next actions. His next movement was halted as I suddenly grasped his arm, his body unconsciously turning towards me in confusion before my crimson lips brushed against his cheek. The words were frozen in his breath, the tips of his ears burning red as I finally left him behind. I walked towards the house happily, glancing at him once more as a smile lingered upon my lips, greeting the maids and servants as I passed them on my entrance into the place I called my home.

I poked my head through the door, twisting my head from side to side in search of my parents who may have been roaming the hallways. They were isolated, empty as I stepped across the marbled flooring, my heels clicking against the ground. There was a faint sound of whispers were audible within the darkness as if someone was there, waiting for me, but I dismissed it. I lifted my head as the clock on the wall solemnly ticked on, the time reading 11:24 behind the smooth glass. It was past my curfew, my foot rested on the first step of the stairs leading to my bedroom before someone realized that I was late. It wasn't as though they would have been waiting for me.

"Sakura, will you please come here?" a voice asked as I began in my pursuit for my bedroom. I froze in my steps, turning towards the source of the voice as exhaustion overcome me. The energy had been drained from my body and if Ebisu sensei was to be faced the next day, well-needed sleep was required.

Drowsily blinking my eyes, I rotated 130 degrees, a faint gasp escaping from my lips as I met my father's eyes. Mother stood by his side, tightly gripping his arm as her eyes rested on my figure. It was strange to see him there. He was hardly ever home and for him to have returned home without any prior word was strange. Father's job in the army always meant that he was never at home for long periods of time. Although I never asked, I assumed what he was doing was important, but why would he be here so suddenly? Why would he have been standing there before me, with my mother by his side, watching me as if he had never left and nothing had changed?

"Oh, of course," I answered almost immediately, knowing that it was rude to not respond. "Why are the both of you up? It's quite late," I asked, not knowing how else to respond as I retraced my steps back down to the ground floors.

They didn't reply, keeping their lips sealed as they led me past family portraits and precious heirlooms and into the parlour. Mother forced me through the room as if I was in some sort of trouble, resting her hands on my shoulders and forcing me down to sit on the couch as father paced himself across the room. It was strange behaviour, to say the least. I normally had a strict curfew and I had a strict daily regimen that I had to follow, exact schedules for when I had to be up in the room and when I should have been in bed. My mother most certainly knew this, she was the one who had wrote the schedule in the first place, yet she was acting like there was nothing strange with me still being up at that time of night. And they still hadn't answered my question but by this point, I knew that whatever the answer would be, it was vital that I had to know - there was something wrong.

The room had dropped into complete silence as Mother rested herself on the couch by my side. It was also strange behaviour that we were in the parlour, a room that my mother had kept in complete perfection for years, with not a single object out of place. We were never allowed into the parlour, only whenever we had formal visitors and even then, she had strict rules about what we could do, what we could eat, what we could touch whenever we were sat in there. She made sure that everything was dusted regularly to ensure that everything looked as beautiful as she wanted it to be. It was beautiful, everything that my mother did was beautiful, but it didn't seemed like part of our home - it was a display that we were both part of.

Worry and confusion could be read from her face as she reached over to me and held my hand comfortingly. I glanced at her in confusion and surprise as her eyes directed themselves away from mine and followed my father's endless movements back and forth across the room. There was something wrong with the two of them. I could feel it in the air around us, thick and heavy in tension, surrounded by a silence that seemed impenetrable. Their strange behaviour made me feel uncomfortable and intimidated in my own home.

He heaved a deep sigh, interrupting the silence that had stilled the air around us, clearing his throat as his lips parted, "War has broken through in Suna. Being their allies, the army of Konoha has joined forces with them against Oto."

"What has that go to do with me? With us?" I asked almost immediately.

The immediate quality of my response threw my father back a few moments and he glanced over at me with his surprise and confusion evident in my eyes before meeting the eyes of my mother who sat even closer than she had before. I wasn't supposed to talk to people like that, it wasn't lady like and even I was sure that I had been trained well enough, by my mother and the maids that surrounded me, to have the correct etiquette when speaking to people, including my father. It wasn't what was expected of a woman, to answer in the way that I had, and I could tell that this had almost infuriated my father, though he should have understood my curiosity. However, there was something to his words that told me that there was something definitely wrong with our situation. He was going to do something to us, something because of the army. And I immediately knew that this wasn't something that I could agree with, even though I would never be asked if I agreed or not.

"I'm of high status in the Konoha army which means it's necessary for me to go to Suna. And I'm taking you and your mother with me," Father answered.

My eyes widened at the sound of his words, jaw dropping in shock as they replayed continually in my mind. That was it. That was the climax of the situation and I was right to think that I wouldn't agree. Who could ever agree to leaving their home? He couldn't do that to us, could he? I'd lived in Konoha my whole life. I was born there and expected to die there also. I was to be adamant that his plan couldn't work, even if it wasn't polite of me, even if I wasn't allowed to. I suppose my mother hadn't trained me as well as she thought she had.

"Well Sakura, what do you think?" Mother asked curiously, squeezing my hand as she lifted her head, our eyes meeting. I attempted to suppress the feelings within me, holding them back with strength because of the amount of trouble I would be in if I said anything they didn't want me to, but the words urged out of my mouth before I could stop them. They had been waiting to leave me lips for some time.

"What do you want me to think? That it's going to be a great experience and I'm going to love it?" my voice rose, echoing in the air as I shot out of my chair and watched them with infuriated eyes, "What about my friends and the great life I have here? Do you want me to just leave that all behind?"

I had been brought to the point of screaming and my parents could only watch their perfectly polite little princess shed her skin and evolve into a monster. My life was perfectly fine; it didn't need to be adapted. Temari and Tenten were suitable companions. No. They were more than that - they were my best friends. From the day we met, we were inseparable. My violin playing was slightly improving. To suddenly let it go would be a waste beyond measurable, especially if my mother wanted me to go off and travel the world with that orchestra. I couldn't suddenly leave my life behind and move on just because they wanted me to.

Father was hardly at home. I'd grown accustomed to knowing that he would never be there when I woke up in the morning. He had built us a wealthy lifestyle in the midst of the Chinese plains and mountains, to let us live in the world of comfort that he had always wanted when he grew up in poverty. Why the sudden movement of the family to Suna? He said it himself there was a war. Did he want us killed?

"I wouldn't want you to leave it all behind if it wasn't important sweetheart. It's just that I feel it would be safer if I moved you and your mother to Suna where we can be closer," he spoke in a softer, gentle tone, his hands firmly grasping my shoulders. I avoided his eyes, watching as seconds ticked by, lost and never to be returned. Perhaps that would happen to us. What would he have done if something bad had happened to us? Then he would wish that we had stayed in Konoha.

"I'm not moving! You can't make me!" I screamed, struggling from his grasp as I escaped the room, searching for the easiest possible route to my own bedroom. My eyes darted back and forth, resting on the staircase as I rushed towards it, my parents mere inches behind. The bottom layer of my kimono caught on my foot as I tripped, falling forward as my head knocked off the side railings of the room. Wincing in pain, I avoided the thought of the bruising and blood, continuing in my escape.

The door was locked before anyone else could enter. I heaved a sigh, struggling to push the large armchair in the path of those who dared tried to enter, placing the heaviest books from my collection on top. No one would be able to get in that way. No one should be able to mess with the wrath of Sakura Haruno.

The sounds of banging and screaming were audible from the opposite end of the door mere seconds later, room shaking due to the extent of their worried cries. "Sakura? Sakura, dear, are you okay?" the soft voice of my mother asked faintly as I threw myself onto the large king size bed at the head of my room, burying my face in the pillow as tears threatened to spill from the corners of my eyes.

"Darling, please don't lock yourself in there. It won't be that bad. You're father said he bought us a beautiful new house in the countryside," she reassured me as I continued to not respond. She could try all she wanted but I could never be convinced to leave as my firm choice remained.

Her mumbles became harder to make out as the loud, deafening voice of Father reappeared, increasing in volume with a continuous attempt to draw me out. I placed my hands over my ears, blocking any sound from reaching them. I knew from experience he wasn't going to give up without a fight but he refrained himself from causing unnecessary trouble in Mother's presence. He would have torn the door down if she wasn't there.

"Do what you want but we're still leaving tomorrow morning whether you like it or not," his voice faded away until he was no longer in close proximity.

My head rose at the sound of his words, the crisp pillows beneath me stained with the warm liquid which bled from my eyes. I rested both hands by my side as I lifted myself from the bed, feet contacting the ground as I slowly walked towards the door, ensuring my father was no longer there before pushing the heavy chair out of the way. The keys jingled in my hands as the door unlocked, my mother visible before me as she rushed forward to cradle me in her arms, the tears streaming from my eyes.

"It's going to be okay sweetheart. Nothing bad will happen to us," Mother spoke softly. "We'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning, your father's orders. You better get yourself some sleep. You must have had an exciting evening at the dance," her warm presence brought me to a state of serenity, her fingers brushing the strands from my face as I lay my head on her lap. Our eyes met as I glanced upwards, a reassuring smile curving at her lips

"Thanks," I mumbled. "Goodnight mother," I replied drowsily.

She tucked me into the bed, planting a soft kiss on my forehead just like she did when I was younger. Wishing me a good night's sleep, the flame of the candle no longer burned, smoke drifting into the surrounding air. My eyes squeezed shut, leaving thoughts of anxiety and confusion behind as I drifted into deep sleep and the night passed us by in no time at all.

****

Dawn had hardly risen as we left the house the next morning. It was eerily silent, not even the chirping of surrounding birds as the world around us lay fast asleep. A shiver ran up the length of my spine as a cool breeze washed over us, shuddering in my coat and huddling closer to mother for warmth.

With only the suitcase in my hands, the clothes that would barely keep me warm and the pearl necklace decorated with a gold heart hung on my neck, I bid farewell to the place that had given me so many nice, joy-filled memories and the friends that had stuck by me for so long without even a proper chance to say goodbye. I wiped the tears from my eyes with the cuffs of my sleeves, clutching my mother's hand as the tips of my fingers numbed from the cold.

"Goodbye Konoha," I thought, waving to our surroundings as we passed. 


	2. Isolated

A few days had passed since our arrival to our new home and I already wanted to go back to Konoha, return to our old home and live their peacefully . My father had exclaimed that it was equipped with everything we were going to need, that it was beautifully decorated, that we would adore and assimilate to our new surroundings immediately. But in no way did it fit our expectations. Yes, it was fully equipped but it was in no way beautiful, or a place I would have been able to call a home. I assume his lies were the only way to convince my mother that we were going to be okay there, so that she didn't throw a tantrum just as I had the night that they had told me.

Father had left merely one day after we had arrived, claiming that he had important business to attend to, but I had my doubts. The way he had spoken to us made it seem like he was trying to hide something that he couldn't tell us and the fact that he hadn't returned since drew me to the conclusion that he abandoned us for a new family. A family that he had moved into our old home. It could probably explain why he was so adamant that we left immediately. I couldn't help but grow envious of the person who would be sleeping in my bedroom; with its crisp, flowery pink sheets and the large en-suite bathroom, not to forget my large closet filled with a large variety of beautiful specially made clothes.

The doors and windows seemed to bring in a horribly cold drafts, leaving me frozen and with the cold weather out in the mountains of Suna, it didn't seem to make anything better. We were in such a remote place that it was evident that the heating was inadequate, having to rely on the large canisters of gas that was kept in a storage room by the kitchen, and while we could be living in a comfortable heat in Konoha, we were sitting in the freezing cold with the wood burning and the smoke rising out through the chimneys. We only had the most basic of furniture, unlike the vast home that we had in Konoha, decorated and furnished extravagantly. We had dropped down from first class to lower class.

There was nothing surrounding us but the trees, trees and vast spaces of greenery expanding as far as the eyes could see. There were no other home but ours for miles. No houses, no people, not even any animals. It was only us and I was sure that I would fall into a state of insanity sooner than I would even be aware. My mother wasn't someone that I could converse with comfortably and the only times we would ever speak to each other would be with me listening to her words of criticism for something that had happened on my part. She was never happy with me. Neither she or my father were ever really happy with me and I always seemed to wonder what it was that I had done to make them feel the way that I did. Did I do something to them? Or was it just my presence in general?

Father informed us it would be unsafe to exit despite being in the countryside, despite being in the middle of nowhere, far from the frontlines of the war. I could do nothing but watch the world from the windows, watch a world that had stilled in silence, with no knowledge of the country's current situation and what was occuring out there, as I remained within the barriers of our home. Mother suggested I distract myself with a book or perhaps paint but it was difficult when everything that I had liked had been abandoned in Konoha. I wanted to do nothing but feel the summer breezes brush through my hair as I danced by trees swaying from side to side as if they were trying to join me. I wanted to speak to my friends and hear the gossip they had picked up through dance class, and go on walks with Lee through the town as he told me stories of the places where he had lived.

* * *

"Sakura dear, will you please come here?" the faint voice of mother asked from the kitchen as I lay across the divan, boredom and misery evident across my face.

I heaved a deep sigh, contemplating whether I should have gone to her or not. I knew she would have been angry if I hadn't listened to her, apparently she had trained me to do better, and realising the onslaught that was to be faced if I didn't do what I was told, I placed my hands by my sides as I lifted myself from the comfort of the divan. Sweeping the strands of hair from my eyes, I shuffled my feet across the floorboards, a gentle squeaking audible as I stepped forward.

There was s sweet aroma lingering through the air and entering my nostrils as I stepped through into the kitchen, causing a grumbling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't expect my mother to be cooking. As far as I was aware, she hadn't done so in a number of years. The maids had always cooked for us and all that my mother ever did was direct them and tell them what she wanted them to do. She didn't have to raise a single finger, not until father had relocated us and I could tell that his decision had made an effect on her emotions of having to be there in Suna, with not a single maid in sight - he wouldn't allow any of them to travel with us.

"You were taking your time. I was beginning to think you didn't hear me," Her back faced me as I placed my hand upon the roughness of the door. Dishes and cooking utensils were scattered across the room, my mother bending over the stove as she inhaled the scent of the soup while continually stirring through the warm liquid. There was a hint of urgency in her actions as I leaned against the worktops, while she reached for different materials and stirred different pots cluttered over the worktops, examining her strange behaviour.

"What do you want?" The words escaped from my lips bitterly.

Since our arrival, a foul mood was all that had become of my emotions. But what else should my parents have expected. They took my favourite things from me and expected for me to assimilate to our new surroundings, keeping my prisoner in our own home as a war zone lay not too far from us. I was angry and distressed. I never liked change and I never would - they never did understand me, and they always blamed me for not being able to understand them.

She lifted her head and briefly cast her eyes upon me. A sudden worry came over mother's face, her lips parted, "Your father sent a letter. He needs to meet me in the city. I will have to leave you here," she finally answered. She passed a few dishes into my grip as I idly stood by, placing them by my side, my eyes switching back and forth. There was something peculiar about her words that I didn't completely understand, and somehow, I couldn't believe what she was saying.

"You're leaving me alone?" I asked in disbelief. If that was the case, I would be alone. I would be able to do whatever I wanted without anyone speaking against it. I would be free.

Her body froze, confusion evident upon her face as if she couldn't believe it herself. "Yes," she spoke after a moment's silence, "I've prepared food so you won't starve while I'm gone... I'm leaving tonight and I don't how long it will be until I can come back." There was a sense of hesitance within her words; she didn't want to leave me by myself. She had played the part of the protective mother for 19 years and nothing could have changed that. It was like a foreign act for her to suddenly have to leave me behind.

A smile curled at the corner of my lips. I'd never been left on my own before. My parents had kept me captive in the prison that they had built around me since I was born. I would finally have the freedom that I had yearned for for so long. I tried to suppress my excitement in mother's company but on the inside I was jumping for joy.

* * *

"I have to go now," She said almost reluctantly, pressing her right hand against the door as she turned towards me with a sad smile lingering upon her thinning lips.

Mother glanced down at the floor, drumming her fingers against the oak door as the sounds of a car grew audible within the distance and growing louder the closer it came.

"Sakura, be good while I'm away. Don't cause any trouble," She spoke softly, the words almost soundless. "Stay safe, dear."

She wrapped her arms around me, tightly encompassing me within her embrace, her hesitance still evident in her unwillingness to let me free. She didn't ever really seem like much of a mother when she would wander around our house back in Konoha, but in that small cottage in the isolated countrysides of Sunagakure, there she was acting like the mother that she had never been to me anymore. I wondered if she had always that had capability within her but she never showcased it because she didn't want to seem to soft in front of the staff that worked in the mansion.

"I will, Mother. Don't worry."

She took a few steps forward, glancing back at me with reassurance for me in her eyes that she would return soon.

I stood by the door's side, watching as she crept through the shadows of the darkness as a car awaited her in the lawn and somehow, I could sense that part of me would miss her while she was absent. She had always been with me after all. It would be the first time that the both of us had spent apart from each other. And as I watched as the car's tyres cracked down on the stones and gravel and slowly sped away, I felt the barriers open up. I was finally set free. Even if I would miss her, I finally had my freedom.

* * *

A few hours later, I fell upon the bed in a state of exhaustion and boredom. The things that I had once wished to do had been done, my clothes stained in specks of coloured paints as my eyes rested on the mural across the wall. I had always dreamed of having this opportunity, I had always wished to taste the sweetness that was freedom, but there was no longer anything to do. I had done everything that I had wanted to do in her absence and my situation had returned to the way it was before her departure.

I could feel the isolation and vulnerability growing within me. I was in a foreign land, far from anyone else. If anything was to happen to me, no one would know. No one would know until my mother and father returned to the cottage to find me lying in a pool of my own blood, the hot liquid streaming down my arms and staining my clothes. I shuddered at the thought and tried to distract myself.

Nothing could happen to me. Nothing was ever going to happen to me. Nobody knew who I was out here. No one would ever know if I was stuck in that cottage for so long. It was only me for at least a five mile radius and I assumed nobody, that the enemy, knew that the Haruno family had left Konoha and was residing in Suna for the time being.

But then, there was a war occurring out there. People were dying merely miles from my window. People were being murdered and people were committing such large crimes in vain.

I rested my head upon the discomfort of the pillow, trying to drift off to sleep, trying to distract myself from the thoughts poisoning my brain.

* * *

I envisioned a man in the distance, standing against a picturesque backdrop of cherry trees. It was springtime while the flowers around us were beginning to bloom so beautifully. I could sense that it was only just the two of us standing by the river bank as the water gushed through while the cherry blossom petals rested themselves comfortably within it. The river turned pink, the water sparkling beneath the sun's rays.

There was nothing to be heard, everything so soundless and peaceful that I worried the sounds of my breaths would interrupt the serenity of the place. I took a few steps forward, curious about the place I had found myself in, the place that I had created. My feet crunched upon a few of the leaves, and I froze in my steps, worried that I had destroyed the peaceful atmosphere, as the man turned himself towards me, tightening his grip on the bouquet in his hands.

We stood metres apart but I could see clearly that he was handsome, perhaps the most beautiful man that I had ever laid my eyes upon. I took a few more steps towards him as he did the same.

He tilted his head as his raven locks fell into his dark eyes and he lifted his hand to brush them away, the smile upon his lips never fading, his eyes glistening like rare gems beneath the sunlight. He paced himself towards me while my feet glued themselves to the ground, unable to carry on any further, passing the roses into my hands as his sweet scent lingered in the air. I could only wish that he was real.

He tilted his head forward, his face only inches apart from mine. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin, the faint sounds of his breathing growing audible the closer we became. Our lips were just about to meet, his hand cupping my chin. If only we weren't disturbed.

The image I had of him grew faint, the world I had created slowly crashing down, until he was no longer visible. He was nothing but a fragment of my imagination once more. A loud crash echoed from downstairs, a shiver running along my spine as fright washed over me. I heard many unrecognisable voices shouting at each other but I was unable to make out a single word that they had spoken. It couldn't have been my parents. Mother had only departed hours earlier.

I could sense them moving, their footsteps thudding against the ground, creaking upon the floorboards. My body was frozen in fear, feeling beads of sweat gather on my forehead. Who were those people and why were they in my house? It could have been someone coming to check up on me. No, that was too absurd. My parents trusted me enough. A crash of silverware grew audible from the kitchen as if they had been carelessly dropped to the ground. I couldn't but feel that they were searching for something, looking for me.

I crept through the darkness, unable to make out a single object but the smoothness of the wooden staircase. My fingers ran along the material, clutching it within my grip as my body leaned forward, peering down to see what was occurring below. My mouth dropped in shock at what I saw. There were groups of men scattered around the room. Furniture was flipped over, thrown to the floor like toys. They were definitely looking for something, but what it was remained a mystery.

A voice at the back of my head warned me to hide. I couldn't possibly let them find me. What would they do to me if they did? This was exactly why I didn't want to come to Suna. I knew something bad would happen to me, I knew it. They should have believed me. They shouldn't have left me behind, alone without anyone else around me.

I crawled away from the scene cautiously, wary that any sounds I made would attract them to me immediately. I frantically searched for a hiding place, hoping that they would leave before they could find me. Finding my way into my parent's room, trying to conceal myself within the darkness, to make myself invisible. The prayers that my mother had taught me as a child found themselves entering my mind as I muttered them under my breath.

But it was inevitable that they were going to find me. No matter how much I would try to keep myself concealed, they would find me. I was never going to be safe from them.

I collided with a hard, solid object, sending whatever was on top crashing to the ground. I stayed frozen in position, knowing that I had given them my location.

Beads of sweat hung on my forehead as the sound of their footsteps grew audible around me. My breaths grew heavier. My heart rate grew faster, the blood pumping through my veins rapidly while I could do nothing but wait for them to find me there. The tears gathered at the rims of my eyes, the warm liquid slowly streaming down my pale cheeks as each second dragged on endlessly.

There was no chance I could ever escape.

The door creaked open, the faint glow of a lamp visible as a few men entered the room. Their feet thudded against the ground, the sounds so harsh that I placed my hands over my ears and forced my eyes shut. I just wanted it to be over. I wanted them to get it over and done with, whatever they were going to do to me

They moved closer slowly, catching me off guard as they grabbed me from both sides. Their grip was strong as they hoisted me off the ground, digging their nails into my skin while the acute pain ran through my limbs. A scream of distress escaped from my lips though I knew there was no one able to hear me. There was no one able to save me.

"Be quiet. There's nothing to be afraid of," One of them whispered into my ear, his lies so obvious. The scent of alcohol lingered on his clothes, the nausea growing in the pit of my stomach at the stench. His hand clutched over my mouth, covering it with a piece of cloth. Within seconds, I had grown exhausted. My eyelids found it difficult to keep themselves open, staying closed for extended periods of time. My vision grew dark; I was unaware of what they would do to me, whether I would be able to escape or not.


	3. Arrival to the Unknown

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO! (Even though I sometimes wish I did)

The vehicle came to a sudden halt, our bodies jolting forward at the great force as the tyres screeched against the gravel beneath us. There was distant scream and it was somehow obvious to all of us that sat within that van, bruised and dirty, that we had arrived at our destination. I didn't know what to have expected in the midst of the situation, unable to assure myself that things would be alright. There was no way that anything could have ever been alright in that place, a place which held such a sinister and terrifying aura within it's air.

A cool breeze washed over us as the doors were slowly drawn open, the heat from our almost lifeless bodies escaping from us. A shiver travelled along the length of my spine as the bitter coldness rushed to my exposed skin. Beyond the crowds, I was unable to see into the distance, our place of imprisonment was not yet visible within my line of sight. I wished I hadn't been so eager to see it that day - I didn't know then that I would have been seeing it often for a long, long time.

There were many that were reluctant to get out of that van, refusing as others pulled at their arms and tried to convince them to come along, groups of soldiers pushing and shoving people out onto the cold gravel beneath our feet as the cool air continued to sweep around us. I wondered what was to happen as we left the safety of the truck, what we would have to see, what we would have to do, where we would have to go. Perhaps that was the reason behind their peculiar behaviour. Perhaps they knew what troubles lay upon us, written in the books by fate. I could only assume that we had nothing to look forward to, relying on our past memories to keep us sane.

"Move along! We can't wait all day. Get your lazy asses out of the truck!" The soldier endlessly bellowed, pushing us off without our consent. He was dressed in a uniform, the creases smoothed down, his back straightened completely as a hat that fell into his eyes- there was an indefinite authority to his image. There was a harsh quality to his actions that was unforgiving, the way he treated people as if they were worthless scum, pushing and shoving them as if they didn't deserve to be treated in a more humanely fashion.

I knew, I just knew, that we were in stranger territory, unwelcome and unwanted, despite the fact that I didn't know our exact location.

It was a remote place, surrounded by lush greenery; trees with reddenning leaves hanging on the edges of branches; bushes that were unlike the ones back home, that had never been trimmed by a gardener; flowers whose petals had been torn so harshly that the edges had become jagged and frayed so the flower could never bloom again. The place seemed so harsh. So unwelcoming. So isolated. Surrounding us on all sides were large cabins, concrete and painted a shade of white that had faded and become dirtied over time, large buildings that loomed over the scenery mass trucks and vans just like the one I had been shoved out of. I was unsure whether there were any other people nearby. There was something strange and suspicious about that place. It felt like no good could have come from our arrival, a strange eeriness hanging thick within the air. A familiar symbol hung around the place, the same one everywhere - the men's uniforms, the flags and the side of the trucks. What they were and what they were for was something I needed to know.

Thick sheets of rain pummelled against the soil from the dark, overcast skies above, drifting towards us with the cool breezes that floated around us. I directed my eyes upward, unable to find the sun in the midst of the dark clouds that cascaded across the sky. If I were to fall into the disgusting below us mud I'd be covered in filth; my feet crunching along the gravel as they manoeuvred us into perfectly straight lines in order of gender and height.

I couldn't mask the surprise that came over my face as I scanned my eyes over the vast number of us that had arrived. It hadn't been brought to my attention earlier but there was no arguing that there were over 500 people there, all following the strict conditions of those who contained us. Those in uniform strolled around with power, inspecting us closely, whispering and jeering as they passed by. For a group of grown men, they acted very unlike their age, very immature. I couldn't bring myself to understand why. I couldn't understand why they were so cruel.

* * *

"Welcome everyone. I hope you had a nice journey because your time here isn't going to be as great," One man finally spoke, his voice clear as we were finally addressed. My eyebrows raised in curiosity, knitting together in my confusion of his words. I couldn't help but wonder what he was talking about. Where were we? And why were we here in the first place? What did these people want to do to us?

"We, the army of Otogakure, have taken you prisoner. One step out of line and -" he paused, gesturing a slit across the throat, "You're dead." A sinister smile lingered upon his lips; his virdian orbs cold and harsh, showing no sense of mercy.

His words ignited a string of questions to muster together in my mind. The last thing I knew, I was being captured in our cottage in Suna, only the night before. How had I managed to get from Suna to Oto? How were those people able to get me here? My parents, would they know of what had happened to me? Did they know where I was?

"You can't do this to us! What have we done to you?" One man in front of me yelled.

He attracted looks of disgust from the soldiers, snarls and sneers. They looked at him as if he was nothing, as if he was beneath him. But I couldn't help but agree with him. He was right. What had I done to deserve to be captured as a prisoner by a place where I had never been? What had all of us, the large crowd that stood beneath that rain, done? I hadn't done anything wrong. I was only 19. I had never been in Oto before that day. What on earth could I have done?

Nothing. I had done nothing. None of us had done anything. And what right did these soldiers, these men, think that they had to let them take us prisoner?

"What gave you the right to take us from our homes? We're all human! What makes us different from you?" I screamed, my voice straining as it reached the loudest level possible.

Everything around me went deadly silent and the tension growing thicker in the air around us. For a brief moment, I believed that I should have just stayed quiet. Nothing that I could say would change anything. I glanced at the people around me, watching as their faces held the same emotions as mine had as I contemplated over that man's words, while some merely stared at me, their eyes burning holes through my body. I had managed to gain their attention.

More people began to speak out, crying the words out with the same strength and anger that I and the man that stood in front of me had. Our words had provoked the others to fight for their rights also, to attract the attention of the many soldiers that surrounded us. They had to know that we wouldn't give up and obey to their commands without fighting for what we deserved first, without trying our best to get what we wanted. If we wanted to be treated right we would have to try and fight for that. We deserved to be treated better than that. We deserved to be treated like humans, not the animals that their words had made us feel like we were.

That's what I thought before it happened.

In a single moment, the man in front was suddenly shot dead, the bullet piercing so quickly through his body that I didn't know what was going on until he dropped to the ground. One gunshot was all it took. One gunshot brought an end to an innocent man's life. One gunshot brought silence to us all. He was a brave man who stood up for us all yet his time had come to an end because he fought for our rights as humans. We were in such a cruel world. My eyes widened in shock as I watched his life go in front of my eyes, the light escaping from his eyes in such a brief moment. My jaw had dropped as the blood from his wound emerged into a pool around him, staining his clothes and the gravel beneath our feet. I clenched my eyes shut as it became unbearable to watch any longer, a sickening feeling sitting in the pit of my stomach.

"One more word from any of you and I'll ensure that the same will happen to you," An unfamiliar voice explained in reference to that brave man, hatred evident beneath his voice. What if he had a family? Or a wife? How would they survive knowing of his death if even I, someone he didn't know, felt so saddened by it? The others acted as if this didn't matter, watching without any grief in their eyes as they dragged his body away. I couldn't help but feel that he wasn't the only one of us who would suffer in that way, who would fall victim to the cruel acts that the army would be planning against us.

"You! You're coming with me!" the bellowing shouts called, blowing the curling tendrils from my face as the soldier grabbed my arm tightly within his grip. I didn't dare open my eyes, squeezing them shut. I knew I would be sick if I saw the man again. "Oh so now you're staying silent. If you don't move along, I won't hesitate to kill you right now."

I slowly forced my eyes open, keeping them locked on the ground as the dead man no longer lay there. The whole place had dropped into an uncomfortable silence once more, the tension so thick that you could slice though it. I could sense that rest of the crowd had their heads held down in fear, trying to avoid anything that would attract the soldier's attention, trying to avoid having the same fate, trying not to get ourselves killed.

I sensed a new presence by my side, recognising the voice of the soldier who had dragged us out of the truck. "Captain Sasuke, we can take care of her if you want. You don't need to be dealing with these scum."

He stood there for a moment, reaching forward to grab my arm but then he slowly dropped his hand to his side. He sent a questioning look in my direction, his eyebrow raised before he suddenly disappeared from my side, rushing over to the others. If I was in the presence of the Captain, I was in a harmful position.

I slowly looked up to face the man, unsure of what would happen if I did. I could only hope that he felt pity for me, that he would let me off this time with a warning. One time at least. Everyone makes mistakes. I didn't truly understand our situation yet. But if they had already killed that man, there was no telling what they would do to me. There was no telling what was going to happen to me.

As my head lifted, he was not what I had expected. He couldn't have been much older than I was, a youthful aura radiating from him. He had handsome features from his dark locks of hair that fell onto his forehead to the thick-lined jaw that gave him a strong, masculine appearance. His dark orbs were so radiant like diamonds but they could only show pure hatred towards me.

And yet, he was beautiful.

* * *

The man pulled me away from the rest, into one of the large cabins close by. I felt an instant wave of warmth wash over me as I entered behind him - the freezing temperatures outside had caused my fingers to numb from the cold. I could only try to enjoy the warmth while I could. My fingers brushed the strands of hair from my eyes as I watched him only metres away. His loud footsteps were intimidating, thudding against the ground as he paced himself around me.

His head lifted and his lips parted, "What's your name?" he asked as our eyes met. He sounded so gentle, so unlike all the other soldiers outside. But somehow I knew it was all just a façade. There was no way could he have been that nice to me.

"Sakura. Sakura Haruno."

"You know why you're here, right?" He asked as he stopped, turning his body towards me. The immediate quality to his response had thrown me back a few moments. His tone had become a little more severe, his body was fidgeting in irritation. I could tell he was becoming more and more angry with me as I remained silent. But why would I have to answer him? I had the right to do what I wanted.

"Answer me!" He shouted, the sounds echoing off the walls. I shuddered at the impact of his voice as he'd caught me off guard. My reticence had put him in a bad temper. I didn't want to see what would happen if he got angrier.

"No," I lowered my head, avoiding his eyes.

I could feel that he was growing even more infuriated, the air around us growing warmer as the anger bubbled inside of him. "What did you say?"

"No. I don't know why I am here."

"Oh you don't, do you? You caused a scene out there. It didn't help that the first man had riled everyone up in the first place but you just had to say something, didn't you?" He reached his hand forward to tilt my head up and remain in eye contact with me. I realised there was no beauty to his orbs as our eyes met once more. They were cold and lifeless, changed due to what he had seen in war.

"So what? I did what I had to. Did you see the way your 'soldiers' were treating us out there?" I replied. Why did I have to be treated as though I was the one who had done wrong? Those soldiers had kidnapped me, they had taken me against my will and I was the one that had caused trouble? What had this world come to?

"How dare you talk to me like that, you bitch? Wake up, you're not in you're mansion in Konoha anymore. You're in Oto now!" he roared. He lifted his hand, his eyes glued onto mine and in a sudden moment he whipped his hand across my face at great speed. I forced myself to hold back the tears that had formed in my eyes, knowing that I didn't want to appear weaker than I already was. "Did you or didn't you cause a scene out there?"

A lump had formed in my throat , restraining me from speaking. "I did," I finally answered, not ready for what he was going to do to me next, not willing for him to grow more infuriated than he already seemed.

"You're lucky you're not dead yet. Saying anything like you did comes with the price of death. You not only caused a scene and drove others to follow, but you disrespected my soldiers and I'm not impressed with this attitude," He explained slowly and tranquilly as to make sure I heard everything he wanted to say. I didn't know if I were to reply but kept my mouth shut as to not infuriate him any more.

"In order for this not to happen again, you will have to be shown how to respect me and follow my orders. Do you understand me?"

"What do you want me to do?" I blurted without realisation. I covered my mouth quickly, squeezing my eyes in fear. I didn't want him to hit me again.

"Oh, you shall find out later," A smirk played at the corner of his lips, as if he was secretly planning something against me. "I don't want you to acknowledge you know me outside of here, understood?" I nodded my head quickly. "Or even worse things will happen to you."

* * *

The temperature had dropped drastically as we left the warmth of the cabin. He firmly gripped my arm, the sharpness of his nails digging into my skin. The pain ran through my arm but I didn't dare struggle in his grasp, knowing it would only make him angry. I was already aware of the consequences of those actions that made him angry and then I realised that so much had changed in my life in such a short period of time. I knew what would have happened if we left Konoha, yet no one had believed me.

A single drop of rain landed on my temples and streamed down the length of my face, staining my pallid cheeks. As I scanned my eyes over our surroundings I came to the realisation that everyone had barely moved, standing in the exact positions that we had been forced into earlier. They were frozen like statues. The pain and fear was evident in their eyes as the Captain led me past the rows of them, shoving me into the exact space I had been in before.

He lowered his head until his lips were barely centimetres away from my ears. "Don't you dare tell anyone anything that has just happened, understood?" He whispered harshly, his eyes shooting a glare of distaste in my direction. He heaved a sight as I nodded my head in understanding, his body turning in the opposite direction as he left me behind in the crowd and returned to the others in power.

The other soldiers immediately straightened their backs and stood tall as they saluted him while he passed by, looking at him with utmost fear as though they were as terrified of him as I was, as we prisoners were. He had great authority above the other soldiers. It was somehow both admirable and frightening. Admirable because for someone who looks relatively young, he is the one that is in charge of this place. Frightening because he has the power to do anything he wants, bring pain to anyone that he feels deserves it. He had too much power.

I shook that conception of him out of my mind as I came to a sudden realisation. The man was no saint to deserve to be admired and followed. He was a bastard who had taken me away from my home and brought me pain despite only being there for a very short period of time. I could do nothing against him or fight for myself while he was in power. When I had once hoped of escape back in Konoha, when I wanted to be free from my parent's restrictions, I didn't think that this would be the result of those thoughts.

There was an evil smirk which played on his face as he leaned closer to the men standing watch, whispering something as he glanced over at us. He had something bad in store, I could just feel it. I was unaware of whether this only affected me or it would affect us all. I didn't know anything anymore. I was lost and confused.

The ambiance grew even more tense as the Captain departed. My eyes scanned over our surroundings and I grew aware that there were more people that had been taken away, more than I had initially thought. Had they been dragged away like I had? Or were they shot to death by the soldiers strolling by? I supposed I would never know what had actually happened. It was as thought they had just disappeared from the face of the earth, never to return.

"We never expected this much trouble on your first day. And I thought we could make this easy for you if you co-operated," A chuckle escaped from the Lieutenant's lips as they called out to us once more. This time there was no response; there was no fighting or rebuttals from the audience of us that could only watch in fear. What were those words supposed to mean? They wouldn't have been able to treat us any better than they had before,

"Captain Sasuke wishes to inform you that your skills will be put to good use. During your stay here, you will be given a job and there are consequences if that job isn't done to standard. We can't secure your safety if you refuse to co-operate with our rules and regulations."

My eyes widened in shock. Not once in my entire life had I been given a job. I had never been expected to do anything within our mansion. If there had been work to be done, it would have been given to the maids and I wouldn't have to worry. Even my mother did no jobs - she didn't cook or clean, relying on the maids for everything that she ever needed. She only did the things that she wanted to do.

"If anyone has any problems with this you are free to speak to any of us and we'll fix that," he finally finished. I didn't even want to know how they would fix our problems. I would have rather just kept them to myself.

* * *

They made another trip around us, grabbing and pulling at our arms to separate us into different groups and then lead us elsewhere. The elders were left behind under the close supervision of the Lieutenant, the rest of us forced away without any idea where we would be going. I didn't want to know why they weren't being taken away. I wouldn't have ever wanted know that would be the last time we would see them.

I closely followed the extending line of woman as they led us through the area, my feet crunching on the cold gravel as we past the crowds of others who had already arrived much long ago. They shivered in their meagre, thin clothing as the cold wind washed over them, their eyes unable to tear away from us as they followed each of our actions. They looked so unhealthy, so thin like skeletons that I began to wonder what had actually happened to them, how they were actually being treated. Those people were a warning for what was to come, what lay in our fate.

My body froze as the sound of wailing grew audible from close by. My ears pricked up at the sounds but no one else seemed to have noticed or they weren't interested in what could have been happening. It was evident that it wasn't the sounds and cries of an adult. It was the shrill voice of a child, a child that may have been in distress. I already knew that I had caused trouble, even within the Captain's company, but there was a feeling within me that urged me to help, to find the source of the cries. What if they were really in trouble?

I diverted from the line and followed the echoing sounds as they grew louder and more intense. My head turned in the opposite direction to find the group barely visible in the distant surroundings before I unconsciously took another step forward.

It was not until I came to the back of a cabin that I found the source of the cries and wails. A little girl not much older than 5. Alone. No adults in sight. Her knees were tucked up, brushing against her chin as the tears streamed down her face, staining her pallid cheeks and the fine fabric of her dress. I knew I should have gone back to the others, they must have been far away by that point, but part of me was worried about what had happened to her.

I crouched down beside her in curiosity, my lips parting as I tried to speak to her, "Shouldn't you be with your mommy?" My eyes scanned over our surroundings to find no soldiers or people around us. The roaring sounds in the distance announced the arrival of thunder, the sharp sparks of lightning piercing through the clouds.

Her head lifted as she cast a look of distress in my direction. Her eyes widened as she realised the danger around us and I could sense that she didn't know whether she could trust me. "I-I can't find her. One minute she was beside me… the next she was gone. I'm scared," she managed to reply between her cries, frozen in position. I could only feel sympathy for the little girl and I was unable to understand how she really felt.

"What's your name?"

"Mo-Moegi. Do you know where my mommy is?" she suddenly asked, her eyes glistening with hope as she looked up and met my eyes. .

I was unable to answer her question and I didn't know where I would find that answer. I stayed silent for a few moments, realising that it would have been best to have kept her distracted and leave the thoughts about her mother behind. As I asked her questions about herself, I couldn't help but notice that she was the most adorable child that I had ever seen. Her fiery, orange hair bobbed up and down as a laugh escaped from her lips, making me feel as if there was some hope left for us, that things weren't going to be as bad as it seemed.

It not only took a lot of persuasion to convince Moegi to join me, it be came very difficult to find the others and where they had been taken. I was more than certain that if one of the other soldiers got their hands on her she would be in harm's way. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if something bad had happened to her, knowing that the lord had placed her in my care for a reason. But despite this, the fact that we weren't following the rules also put us in some trouble.

After carefully looking around, avoiding any soldiers in our path, we finally found them. The exterior of the building was vast in its size but once we had found a way of entry, we came to realise that this wasn't the case. Due to the large numbers of us and the many bunks to cater for the size of our group, it had grown very cramped. I kept Moegi close by my side like she was family, like a sister, like my own child.

* * *

I felt myself slowly drift off to sleep, my eyes struggling to stay open until I was suddenly disturbed. A soldier paraded into the building, his feet thudding against the concrete as a smirk curled at the corners of his lips. I watched Moegi from the corner of my eye while she jolted up in surprise at the harsh sounds which awoke even those who had already fallen asleep. I didn't even want to know why he was there.

He scanned over his surroundings as he stood at the doorway, enjoying the view of the vast number of women before his eyes. It took a few moments for him to realise the note in his hands, casting his eyes upon the thin piece of paper as his lips parted. "Sakura Haruno! Captain Sasuke would like to see you," he announced.

Whispers grew audible in the backdrop; heads turning back and forth ran as they waited for the one called Sakura Haruno to step up forward. I felt reluctant to leave Moegi behind, knowing she was still in a fragile condition after what had happened earlier. My eyes rested on the soldier as he grew impatient, tapping his fingers on his watch. I really had no choice but to leave. She was people that I could bring myself to trust.

"I'll be back soon okay," I whispered, sending an apologetic smile in Moegi's direction. I stood up sullenly and dragged myself towards him, ignoring the words of the women that surrounded me on all sides. They were more things to be worried about at that moment. Only time would tell what Captain Sasuke's plans were for me that evening.

* * *

(Author 's note:)Two updates in one day? I'm on a roll. Well, not really since I'm only just editing this since it's already pre-written. I might get the next chapter up tomorrow but I'm not sure. But Mr Uchiha isn't going to be very popular for these next few chapters. He's a bit of a meanie


	4. Frightening Desires

Disclaimer - I don't own Naruto, even if I wish I did.

**Chapter 4**

**Frightening Desires**

The soldier led me away from the building, he led me away from all of the other woman and I couldn't help but feel the discomfort for my current situation growing the further the distance grew, the further we travelled into stranger territory. I struggled to see anything through the darkness, the black moonless skies encompassing us like they were prison walls. There was only the harsh glows of the lamps from the buildings that surrounding us.

I urged myself to ask what was to happen to me but when I cast a glance at the soldier tugging at my arm, when I met the harshness within his eyes, I knew that I would not receive my answer. I wondered if every person I was to meet there would show the same hostility towards me - I wondered if I was going to meet the same unforgiving, cold eyes that would make me so uncomfortable.

We moved further, our feet crunching on the gravel and leaves beneath our feet as we past many more places and walked down more hallways. The intense stares of other soldiers burned holes through me as we strode past them, their eyes burning holes through me as each watched me as if they knew what fate had in store for me the closer I became to the Captain. Their eyes laughed like this was a sick joke. I could only hope that we were almost there so this could be over and done with, so I could return to the others as soon as I could.

The soldier freed my arm, a red mark evident on my pale wrists as we came to a sudden stop, evidence of his harsh tugging, his sharp fingernails that had gripped and dug into my arms. He lightly tapped on the door in front of us, grabbing my arm again to ensure that I wouldn't be able to find an escape route as I winced in pain. They were all so unforgiving.

Almost immediately, the sounds of someone moving grew audible from the other side, loud against the deafening silence that hung in the air. There were keys jingling as they were inserted into a lock, a twist of the door knob, before the door shot open and we came face to face with the Captain.

"Send her in," he growled.

The Captain turned in the opposite direction and strode towards the bed and I merely stood there, frozen in position, unaware of how I was to react or what I was supposed to do. I stared after him, noticing every footfall and the drop of his shoulders with every breath he took, but I didn't move. It was almost as if I unconsciously felt the dark aura that radiated from that room, the darkness within the Captain's eyes as he had spoken earlier even though he was seemingly calm. It was as if I somehow knew what lay ahead of me, what would happen when I stepped into that room and the door would close behind me. But I couldn't get away.

The soldier behind me grew impatient, drumming his fingers on his arms, as if he was waiting for me to move through as the Captain sharply turned his head back towards us.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked, though I didn't know who he was speaking to. And as I opened my mouth to reply to him, I realised that it wasn't I who he had addressed.

The soldier grabbed a hold of my shoulders, shoving me in at such a force that I stumbled in my steps and fell to the ground below, before he rushed away and slammed the door. A strained cry escaped from my lips as my head smacked against the ground. Yet there was no response from the Captain. I was left alone with him.

As my head lifted, my eyes darted back and forth, searching for him as he grew invisible within my line of sight. The room was clearly large in its size but I couldn't help feel that there was something peculiar about it, a strangeness that I would struggle to explain. It was almost completely bare, with a large bed at the head of the room, a chest of drawers and one arm chair, which had a small table at its side holding a decanter of Whiskey and a glass which was half full of the vile liquid. The strange thing however was not the lack of furnishings but the fact that the room seemed to hold no personal belongings, no family pictures held on the walls or memorabilia sitting on the chest of drawers. The lack of furnishings increased my discomfort of being there, the presence of alcohol not making anything better, and I couldn't help but feel that his room was representative of the Captain's personality. He was cold and secretive, wanting to keep things to himself.

"Get up! I don't have all night!" His roars tore me away from my trance. I grew aware that he was still there, pacing himself around the room. I turned my head in his direction, watching as his hands fastened on his keys as he walked forward and locked the door once again.

I lifted myself off the ground, brushing the dirt off my clothes as I stood up to face him. I pushed my shoulders back and calmed my breaths, trying not to appear weak in front of him despite how I was feeling inisde, despite the growing fear and fright for my current situation. There was no telling what was going to happen. was.

"Good. It's nice to know you understand what will happen if you don't follow my instructions."

He took a few steps towards me, his feet thudding against the ground until we stood merely a few inches apart. I tried to avoid his eyes as if they were deadly. I didn't want him to see through me, to see over the wall I had built to guard myself from him. My nose wrinkled at the vile stench of alcohol which lingered in the air. He had been drinking.

"Hmm, you have really beautiful hair you know," He whispered in my ear as he leaned even closer, his fingers running through my pink strands.

He slowly stepped backwards and took small steps around me until he was walking around in complete circles. I couldn't help but feel that he was the most intimidating person that I had ever met; he could have even intimidated Ebisu sensei. It was his presence, his aura, that made me feel small and weak, that made me feel like I couldn't do anything against him. His eyes didn't dare to tear away from me, scanning leisurely over my body while I remained like a statue, the smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Beads of sweat sat on my temples, running down the length of my face.

I was afraid. I was petrified. What was he planning? Why was he looking at me like that?

"It would be a shame if someone was to cut it off, wouldn't it?" He asked, the smirk never fading from his lips. I didn't want to know what he was trying to say, what he was trying to imply by saying those words. Was he trying to threaten me? I glanced down at the long pink waves that framed my face, the ends dirty and needing attention. What was he planning on doing?

"Why am I here?" I asked, knowing that there had to be some reason behind why he had wanted to meet me in private.

If we were in private then no one else could see what he was going to do to me. No one else would be witness to the cruelness of the Captain and though at that point, he seemed almost harmless, god knew what he was capable of. I wasn't safe, I was no longer ever going to be safe in the Captain's chambers or anywhere else in this prison camp, and I finally came to understand that if I hadn't said those words earlier then I wouldn't have been in that situation. I wouldn't have him staring at me in that way. Why did I have to be so stupid?

"I'm glad you asked," He smirked. If we were thinking the same things then this situation couldn't have resulted in ending in my favour. The way he said it made him seem so sinister. His hand reached up, the tips of his slender fingers brushing against my cheek as he returned to my side, "I'm a man. I have needs. And I want you to… fulfil those needs for me, Sakura."

"Needs?" I squeaked, unable to control my shock. I had to calm down. He couldn't have meant that. I was probably thinking the wrong thing. He had meant to say something else. Yes, that must have been it.

I could hear him chuckle and came to realise how much my body was shivering with fright, my limbs shaking vigorously. He leaned even closer than he had before and I could feel his breath warm against my skin, so warm but so cold, a shiver licking up my spine. His chest was rested up against my back like it was normal, the tufts of his ebony hair sending tingling sensations across my skin as they came in contact.

His lips were so close to my ear. "Sexual needs," he whispered.

No. No. No. I wished that he didn't mean it. I wished that he was trying to just play some joke on me, a cruel joke to make up for the trouble that I had caused him earlier that day.

He traced my jaw-line with his finger, cupping my chin within his palm as he forced me to meet his eyes, the heat transferring into my skin as he leaned his head forward. His lips were just inches from mine. A part of me urged to kiss him, to meet his soft lips with mine. The other wanted me to kick his ass and gag if he came any closer. Why had no one ever warned me of the things that really happened in life? Somehow it's my fault I never realised my life wasn't a fairytale. It was more like a horror story.

"I would never do anything like that for you!"

I spat at him distastefully, my nose wrinkling in disgust, my eyes full of venom. The Captain reeled back in distaste - his shot open as he glared at me angrily, wiping the moist saliva from his smooth skin. I could feel him scanning my body with his cold eyes before taking a strong grasp on my arm and pulling me closer to him, his nails digging into my skin so roughly that I knew he was going to leave a bruise.

The atmosphere grew more tense, the reeking smell of alcohol growing stronger as he came even closer. The nausea sat in the pit of my stomach.

"Unless you want your beautiful pink locks cut off, I suggest you do what I want," He spoke gently, trying to coax me out of my current state of mind. He was growing impatient with me, trying to threaten me as if I would give myself to him as a result. I was unsure whether he was actually speaking the truth and or if he was merely telling lies, if he was actually

I lifted my head to find him staring at me, his dark eyes watching me with his lust and hatred. His hands pressed down on my shoulders as he dropped my wrist from his grip, smoothing the fine fabric of my dress as he ran his filthy hands over the curves of my body. I didn't know how I should have reacted. I didn't know what I could have said to stop him from doing what he wanted.

His hands hovered over my breasts for a moment, squeezing them aggressively as he let a laugh escape from his lips, "It's such a shame that a body like yours had to go to waste on a virgin."

I'd never felt so violated in my life though I knew this was only the start of it all. I didn't know how much further he wanted to take this, how much he would want to taunt me in one night, but I couldn't help but feel that it would continue for as long as he wanted me to suffer. The only thing that could have made any of this worse was that I couldn't do anything to stop him. Nothing but hope that it would all come to an end, my eyes squeezing themselves shut as I prayed for it to end before he could properly hurt me. I prayed that God would listen and help me, save me from him.

He pressed his lips against my skin, my cheeks flushing to a deep red as his lips trailed along my jaw. I tried not to succumb to the pleasure that the act was giving me - I had never been touched in such a way by any man, the foreign act bringing along with a strange burning sensation within me. But when I realised who this man was, when I realised his intentions, I could feel nothing but disgust. Anger. Hatred. And I didn't want to take this from him anymore. I couldn't take it any longer.

My hands lifted from my sides as I shoved him away with all my strength, a single tear coursing down my pallid cheek. His eyes shot open as he staggered backwards in shock, falling to the ground with a thud, his head knocking against the side of his bed. I could hear his breaths growing heavy, knowing the anger was building inside him as my feet rushed beneath me and I ran over to the door.

I hurriedly reached for the handle, the metal creaking as I turned it within my hand and tried to push the door open. It wouldn't. The handle creaked within my hand but the door wouldn't budge. He had locked it once I was in the room. He had the keys.

"You won't get out until I'm done with you, you fucking bitch," he harshly whispered into my ear, forcefully grabbing me from behind. My heart started pumping in panic, each breath growing heavier as beads of sweat mixed with my tears. I cautiously glanced back at him, his eyes dark with fury as the blood trickled down the side of his face from the fresh gash on his forehead. I was in big trouble, very big trouble. There was no way I could have escaped from him then.

He pulled me closer to his bed and pushed me back onto it, my back sinking into the comfort of his mattress. It felt warm and soft, the closest thing I had came to luxury since I had arrived there but I couldn't enjoy it for long. He climbed on top of me, straddling over my limp, surprised form, while trapping my legs between his thighs.

"I'm going to give you one more chance since you're new here. I just want you to give me what I need and then I'll let you go," he said, trying to keep calm and serene but I knew the anger was just waiting to explode from within. It was already evident within his voice and his eyes.

There was nothing he could have done that would have been able to change my mind. There was nothing that he could do to make me let him have what he wanted. I had made my mind already.

"I will never give myself to you, you bastard."

Unconsciously, I slowly raised my free hand as I threw it forward and whipped it across his face. I never knew when to stop, I would keep trying to fight fire with fire but I would only ever just get burned.

The anger and fury that he had suppressed grew visible as he slowly moved towards me. My body began to shake vigorously in fear. I shouldn't have done that. I should have found another way to make him let me go, offer him something else. I was always quite stupid and I always would be.

I gasped in agony as he hit me in the stomach, my body crumpling in pain as he lifted himself off me and threw me to the ground. My eyes squeezed shut as everything started to become blurry; the world was spinning around me.

"That was one mistake you made," he spat.

And slowly, I became engulfed within the darkness.

* * *

I woke to find myself unable to move, restricted by the pain that remained within me and I couldn't help but wonder how long I had been in the darkness for. My eyes shifted around the room, as far as I could see in my state, darting back and forth but I was unable to see the Captain within my surroundings. Was it possible that it was all a dream? That the past day I had experienced hadn't really happened? Could it have been possible that I was still in my room in Suna?

I spotted a glimpse of something pink lying on the ground in the corner of my eye. I looked down to find strands of hair the same shade as mine, scattered along the ground beneath me. I reached to feel my own hair but my hands were somehow restricted. I was still stuck, struggling to move.

"I don't have much experience but I think your hair looks fantastic," a deep voice broke me out of my trance. I glanced up to find those dark, cold orbs staring at me while a chuckle escaped from the Captain's lips. He couldn't have really done that, he wouldn't have

Tears formed in my eyes as I saw my reflection in a mirror at the other side of the room, slowly streaming down my face. The beautiful hair I once had was gone. It had all been cut off by that bastard. I tried to clear the lump that had formed in my throat but to no avail.

"Get out. You've got away for now. But don't forget, you'll come to see me every evening," he taunted me as he freed my arms from the bonds that had restricted them. "I will get what I want from you. don't make me put a bullet through your head."

I slowly lifted my body off the ground and returned to my feet, taking my time to walk back to Moegi. The others in command burst into a fit of laughter as I passed them by, looking down in shame. It was very late, the moon bestowing dim light upon our surroundings as I sneaked back into the building/ I no longer looked like Sakura Haruno. I was a prisoner.

* * *

I still have to edit this ending but gosh this took me a long time. You should expect quicker updates now that school's over and I managed to get through Prom, haha.

Let me know what you think about this chapter (gosh Sasuke's evil),

coolgirlaamy x


	5. Fear

I couldn't bring myself to sleep that night. Each time I tried to fall into a deep slumber and clear my mind, all I could think of was what he had done to me, what he had planned on doing to me. The memories couldn't help themselves but replay constantly, the pain rushing back to me, tears streaming down my face.

I was disgusted. I was frightened. I was ashamed. What if I hadn't been as strong willed as I was? Would he have had the chance to take advantage of me? Would he have played with me as if I was a toy and then thrown me out once I had become broken? I didn't know. I didn't want to know.

Captain Sasuke Uchiha was a cruel man, and this was only the beginning. I was only just starting to feel his wrath and brutality. I wanted to mentally prepare myself for what else he was planning but I had the feeling that he was the kind of man who would trick me and tease me, and I would never know what he would have in his mind for me when I would enter his room again.

Only time was going to tell what more he could do.

* * *

I awoke to the warm rays of sunlight, warming the skin beneath it's rays. The sound of movement disturbed my ears as I tried to sleep even more, before the soldiers would come for us and break the serenity that encompassed the room. I didn't know what time it was or how long I had been asleep. We didn't have access to any clocks; we were supplied with less than basic necessities, barely enough to keep us going and make us feel like we were still human. We were prisoners, we were nothing to them, and they were going to do as much as they could to show us that.

If we were still in our mansion, the maids would have woken me. They knew exactly when to come to my room and tell me to get ready for breakfast, all under my mother's exact orders. She would always make sure that I had 8 hours sleep, no more, no less. I couldn't remember a single day where I would be able to lie in my bed, in the comfort of all of my blankets. She said it wasn't lady-like to oversleep and be lazy, even if I wasn't much of a lady.

"Get up! Today is a busy day!" The soldiers paraded through the building dragging us to work, roughly pulling and dragging other women out of their bunks and expecting the rest of us to follow suit or face the consequences.

I kept my eyes forced close; I hadn't returned until very late the night before and I couldn't sleep even in the state I was in, even with the amount of exhaustion I was feeling. I wanted to lie there in that warmth for as long as I could, before they could tear me away from the only comfort that I had. There was a tossing and turning by my side, and I could hear the rustle of the thin fabrics, before a shriek tore through the silence and serenity that I was encompassed in.

"Saki, where's all your hair?" a voice asked as I slowly blinked my eyes open. I glanced up to meet familiar beady eyes which stared at me in astonishment and shock.

Trying to hide the tears forming in my eyes, I was suddenly reminded of the previous night where the captain had shorn all of my hair, leaving me with only small pink tufts to guard my scalp. I wouldn't have been able to explain what had happened to someone like her, a small child like Moegi. For one, the Captain warned me of telling anyone about what he was doing with me but she was also no more than 4, too young to understand the ways of the world that we lived in and if I told her something bad had happened, I would only upset her. She'd already lost a mother and I didn't want her to think she would lose me either. We were going to have to stick together in that place no matter what. She was my priority and I wouldn't let anything tear us apart.

"Oh, my hair was getting in my eyes so I had to cut it all," I managed to stifle an excuse out of thin air as she stared up at me, waiting for me to answer. I was just hoping she would take that for an answer and wouldn't ask any more questions. I was not prepared to answer any other questions, god knew what I could say.

Burying her face in my shoulder, I cradled her in my arms as she began to cry. A flood of tears gushed down her pale cheeks, staining and dampening my dress. The other woman glanced over at us curiously at the sound of her whimpering, their eyes also widening in shock at my appearance. I began to think it was worse than I had first thought. Was it really that bad or was I forcing myself to believe so?

"Don't worry, it's only hair. I won't let anyone cut yours off, don't worry," I reassured her as I rocked her back and forth.

I could see flocks of women quickly rush outside, having heard the soldiers' earlier announcement and warning. I didn't want to get into any more trouble than I had already found myself in, I didn't want to be the one who was most likely going to aggravate those soldiers. If Captain Sasuke had managed to do what he wanted then there was no telling what others were capable of.

* * *

I managed to stop her cries and quickly get her up, rushing outside before I could be deemed a trouble maker for holding everyone up. The soldiers were moving everyone into single rows, harshly tugging and pulling at arms, dragging people as if they were no more than animals. Nobody could say anything to them, fight for their rights after the display that had been made the day earlier. We managed to make it there in time but the sight of Captain Sasuke standing on the podium before all of us made me feel uneasy and sick. Could it be his plans for me the evening before that had left a sickly feeling in my stomach? Or the fact that he still enjoyed the view of me without all of my hair as a consequence for my actions?

"As you were told yesterday, your time here will be far from easy. You'll each be given a job and if that job isn't done to standard then… let's just say you'll be in a lot of trouble," the Lieutenant said. He looked uncomfortable saying all of those things, the Lieutenant, his crystalline blue eyes filled with worry and regret. He didn't seem like one to enjoy the misfortune that his words brought.

The Captain watched us all with hawk-like eyes, searching for prey, almost like he was searching for me. As his eyes scanned over the many faces, they sharply darted in my direction and I held my head down as he directed his gaze at me. With one look into his laughing eyes, I would have been in tears any second.

Moegi clung closer to me as they soldiers called people forward, taking names and giving out jobs. They were to take a roll-call every morning, making sure that everyone was there. Anyone who wasn't there was to be assumed dead, there was no chance we were ever going to escape with the barbed wire fences, walls 30 feet tall surrounding the large compound with deposited guards patrolling them at all times. After roll-call, we would be given a small meal, then ushered off to work for god knows how long, working until they thought we had done enough - they had not made clear what exactly 'enough' was. I just hoped that I would be able to keep Moegi with me as I did my job. She only had me and I wasn't going to leave the young child to have to fend for herself.

My thoughts drifted back to my mother and father who would have probably no idea of my whereabouts or if I had even disappeared. For all I knew, they could have still been in the Capital without a clue that I had been kidnapped. I wondered how they would react when they entered our new home, when they would see all the upturned furniture, the shattered vases and small ornaments, my empty bedroom.

It seemed as though an eternity had passed as I patiently waited for my turn. Each second dragged on while person after person stepped towards the tables they had set out and approached the seated soldier, leaving for elsewhere while the rest of us waited in anticipation. It was worrying not knowing what they would say or do - they could be so unpredictable at times and it was terrifying.

I slowly inched closer towards the front of the line until Moegi and I were right at the front. The Captain was making his way round all of the tables as if he wanted to make sure everyone was doing there job correctly. At the moment I was called over, the Captain strode towards the waiting soldier and whispered something to him, and though he didn't turn to look at me, I felt like I could sense what he had said.

I walked over cautiously.

"Name?" they asked as they looked up at me with cold, intimidating eyes, resembling those of the rest of the soldiers around the area. I'm sure he also found my appearance to be amusing as he let out a low chuckle at the sight of me. I tried to ignore him but the anger that I had suppressed was building up inside of me. I clenched my fist and tried to let it go - arguing with these Oto soldiers wasn't going to do anything for me but put me in my death bed.

"I'm Sakura Haruno and this is Moegi," I replied, pulling Moegi closer to me and squeezing her hand for support as she trembled in fear in front of him. 'Private Konohamaru Sarutobi', his name tag read as he looked down and I could take a closer look at him. With a youthful face and dark tufts of hair that peeked out from beneath his hat, he had no resemblance to the average soldier except from the eyes that had turned cold and lifeless from the war. He seemed younger than most, if not all of those men, and I couldn't help but feel some pity towards him - he looked like he had been forced there at no choice of his own.

"Lucky for you, you will have Kitchen duties. If you are incapable of working there then we can find something more suitable," Konohamaru announced, tapping his pen against the wooden table as he handed me a card, its contents informing me of my new job.

It seemed like an easier job than what I had assumed I would have been receiving at first. I thought I would have to do something of heavy manual labour, that would have required a lot of strength - something which I didn't have. I almost felt relieved, but then the thought of even having a job, when I had never had to work for anything in my life, seemed so foreign and I couldn't help but feel a surge of worry rush through me. Cooking was not my forte. The word 'job' didn't even exist in my vocabulary. I'd never cooked in my life. I was in trouble, in hell, and I was only starting to properly realise it.

"Take her with you," he added and Moegi followed suit after me. I took hold of her hand once again as I tried to look for the location of the Kitchen where I was to work. Somehow, the thought of the Captain came to mind as I looked around, trying to come to terms with my new situation. Could it be that he had requested for me to get the 'easy' job in the kitchen?

No. No chance. Private Konohamaru must have just pitied me the same way that I did for him and found an easier job in the pile of sheets he held in his hands. Captain Sasuke was pure evil in human form.

* * *

I stood in the centre of the kitchen without an idea of what I was meant to be doing. I had entered the room around an hour earlier to find a few other women already there, rushing around as if they had already been shown what to do, but I hadn't been told anything since I had arrived. They had continued to do their work, rushing around without even acknowledging my existence and Moegi, she had joined in with the other few children, who sat in a small circle in one corner of the room, and was talking animatedly the dance classes she took back home in Konoha. All I could do was listen to her words, my eyes following the actions of the girls around me.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed and as if I had already adapted to this horrible place, I could sense what the change meant.

I hung my head, trying my best to stay out of his line of sight as the soldier walked through the group, observing everyone as they completed the tasks given. I was hoping that he would have merely glanced over us and left us behind to do something better with his time, but he made sure to check every one of us and I already knew. Before he had even noticed me, before his eyes burned holes through me, I knew. I was going to anger him, and I didn't know how to avoid it.

"Shouldn't you be doing something?" He aksed from behind me. I lifted my head slightly, finding him glaring at me with displeasure. I decided to stay quiet, not answer his question. I could never find the right words to say, and whatever ones I did, they always seemed to increase their anger even further.

"Are you deaf? Answer my question!"

"Yes," I forced out my lips, frightened. "I don't know what to do," I muttered quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear me, wishing he would leave. He remained in the same position but his anger intensified at the sound of my response. I could tell from the burning in his eyes, the clenching of his fingers as they curled into his palm. He threw his fist down on the counter as he turned to me once more.

"You don't know what job you're doing! Any job would be fine! Stop making yourself a useless bitch!" He growled angrily, the intensity of his voice blowing the short strands from my face.

He leaned down until I could meet his eyes, still fuelled with a dark anger, and stared at me. He just stared at me, right through me, as if he was trying to work out something about me storming out of the room as he caught the rest of the girls off guard. My cheeks flushed to a bright red in embarrassment and I could feel their eyes burning holes through my back as they stared at me. Day Two and I was already on the bad side of the majority of people. I supposed Moegi would remain my only friend.

Lifting some kitchen utensils, I began to copy the other girls while they peeled the potatoes and made soup. Seeing the food only made me realise how hungry I really was as I was greeted by the familiar feeling of hunger in my stomach. I would have died in starvation if I didn't eat soon.

* * *

The same soldier from the night before came back to get me again, standing at the door and calling out my name. It felt like he was giving me a death sentence. There was no way that I would have wanted to have to spend more time with the Captain, especially after what he had tried to do to me the night earlier and the pain he made me feel. Havign my hair cut off like that, so ragged and dishevelled, made me feel as though I had lost part of myself, my femininity, my beauty.

"Haruno!" He yelled, a strong harshness evident in the roars of his voice.

Moegi turned to me, and asked in worry, "Saki, do you have to go?"

I nodded my head in agreement - I really had no other choice but to follow the commands given. I pat the top of her head reassuringly before I walked through row after row of bunks to reach the soldier who had already left the building. Glancing back at her as I inched the door open, I was hesitant to leave her alone again, to leave her thinking that something bad would happen to me. I unconsciously took a step out into the darkness, the cold air rushing towards me as I retreated to following the soldier once more with no idea whether I was going to be able to return.

He cast his eyes upon me and I could hear his snigger, his stifled laugh at my appearance as he lead me along the same route, down the same hallway to the same Captain who would be waiting for me at the end of the corridor. He could have thought and acted the way he wanted, he could laugh at me for as long as he could, and there was nothing that I was able to do but withstand his laughter. I was nothing to these people, just a useless prisoner. I was worth nothing.

We neared the end of the corridor, my feet dragging against the vinyl floors as his grip tightened on my arms and pulled me forward, sensing my reluctance to enter through the large oak door just moments away. I was going to receive my death sentence, I could just feel it, and the door was the only barrier that kept Death away.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest as the soldier's fist rapped quickly against the door. I was praying that Captain Sasuke wasn't there, that I could be sent back to the others in his absence and live another day.

To my misfortune, the door shot open and there he stood, with a smirk clear upon his lips. He took a single step to the side, and before I could even prepare myself, the soldier shoved me forward into the room as he did the night earlier and I stumbled in my steps, falling straight to the ground.

"Nice of you to finally join me," his deep voice broke through the eerie silence of the room. I shot up from my position on the ground at the sound of his words, brushing the dirt off of my dress. His dark orbs showed pleasure with my actions as our eyes met, pleased that I understood what would have happened if I didn't follow his commands.

I looked down at the ground for a few moments, mentally trying to prepare myself for what was going to happen next, what he was planning, my head quickly lifting at the rustle of fabrics and the sound of movements. I didn't want him to catch me off guard.

My eyes darted back and forth as I searched for him within the room, expecting for him to have been behind me but I found him in the corner of the room sitting in a nonchalant manner upon his bed, his fingers flicking through the book within his hands. He paid no attention to that book, however, his eyes glued onto my figure as we both watched each other. The tie had been loosened from around his neck; the top button of his dress shirt was unbuttoned. The stench of alcohol no longer remained and I felt somewhat relieved, inhaling the fresh air around me. He wasn't intoxicated so he should have been more sane.

"Are you waiting for some kind of invitation? Come here," He called me over, his eyes not daring to tear away from mine. He lifted his hand and patted his lap as a gesture that he wanted me to sit with him. He wanted me to get closer to him, I mused, slowly inching my feet closer to him as he waited for me with cold, devious orbs.

"Come on. I won't bite," he spoke gently. Oh, of course he wouldn't.

His tone didn't resemble the one of the evil Captain who had hurt me before as he put on his kind, gentle façade to lure me into his trap. I held a strong, confident look on my face as I moved even closer until my back pressed against his chest, and I sat on his lap, so vulnerable. He was so much bigger than me that I fell dwarfed against his large form, so small like a child. His acting made me shudder inside, continuing to make me feel uncomfortable. Any second he could have pounced on me like an animal and fulfilled his 'needs'.

"There are some things you need to know about being in this place and that is why I've brought you here tonight."

"What do you mean? Like rules?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. I tried to stay polite and patient in his company, knowing that the bastard would probably be holding me hostage for at least and hour of two. I didn't want that evening to have ended in the same state as the one earlier. He could have been planning so much worse for me though only time would have told what those plans were.

"You could say they are rules," a low chuckle escaped from his lips as if he was holding his own private joke, "First thing, just call me Sasuke. 'Captain' or 'Sir' makes me sound so old."

"Sasuke," I whispered as though I had just learned how to speak.

"Second - follow every thing that people like me say here – not everyone is as nice as I am to you people," I questioned whether there was any sarcasm within his voice. He couldn't have been serious. If the Captain could have been deemed as someone who was nice, then I must have been some kind of saint.

His right hand settled upon my thigh in a nonchalant manner, rubbing against my exposed skin as the heat of his palm was transferred into my skin. He didn't seem to act as if this was a big deal, treating it as if it was some kind of normal situation. I supposed this was the manner that I was to be treated in as his personal 'toy', subjected to dealing with his sexual frustrations that he had suppressed inside.

But why did it have to be me? Why couldn't he have chosen someone else?

"Do your job properly," he started once more, his voice dropped into a whisper as he leaned his head closer. "Don't give my soldiers any reason to want to kill or hurt you. I gave you that job so even you wouldn't be able to find a way of hurting yourself. Others weren't so lucky. I can't demand favours if you can barely move to provide such things for me."

I began to think that he had only told me those things for his own good. Of course, that was it. He had no real intention of offering me help and advice, he was merely helping himself. A toy that hadn't been used as much was much better than one that breaking at the seams, missing parts. Yet nonetheless, his words could have been useful in the future.

There was a thick silence in the air, so silent that I could hear his breaths, as his chest rose and then dropped back down again and again. His hand reached further, his fingers brushing against my inner thigh and I already knew what else he wanted to do to me. I could feel him reaching further, his slender fingers looping through the band of my underwear, as I bit down on my lower lips, struggling within his arms as he pressed his free hand against my mouth. It was only then that I realised that he had somehow trapped my hands so I couldn't fight back again.

He was going to get what he wanted and I couldn't stop him, the tears stinging in my eyes. Nothing could. Except from a deep grumble that managed to escape from my stomach.

He stopped in his tracks, removing his hands from my body as another rumble managed to break through the silence we were surrounded in. "Oh, so we're hungry, are we?" He asked, his lips extremely close to my ear, breath warm against my skin.

I nodded my head. I hadn't eaten since before I had arrived there - that had been days ago - and I was starting to feel myself grow painstakingly thin.

"You're supposed to eat what we give you here."

"I couldn't eat that," I mumbled, my voice almost soundless.

It was true. I couldn't. The bread they'd given us earlier was soggy, it looked as if it was almost starting to mould. The soup, gruel, whatever it was that we had also received, wasn't any more edible. They couldn't have expected us to eat that! But they did. We weren't going to receive anything else. I wasn't expecting anything luxurious, just something edible and they couldn't even do that.

"Hn, sorry everything doesn't meet your standards, princess. This is the real world. If you don't eat it, you'll starve yourself to death," he spat harshly, shoving me off of him and to the ground.

I shot him a dark glare, struggling to lift myself up in my weak state. He was right though. In the next few days, my body would be feeding off stored fat for energy. My liver would then start to panic and produce harmful chemicals until I would start consuming my own muscle and organs so I could be given some energy. It was such a horrible, painful way to die.

"You've had enough for today," the sudden quality of his words surprised me, throwing me back a few moments. "Go back to the others. I'll see you tomorrow and do remember you are mine. If you do something wrong, I can make you feel pain and you'll learn your lesson just like last time," Sasuke hissed sternly as he dragged me away, shoving me out of the door and into the bitter cold hallway. All the heat from my body escaped into the air, a shiver running along the length of my spine as the cold hit my exposed skin.

"Don't think that I can't do anything worse than cut off your hair. I have much more in store for you. Now get lost!" he roared, slamming the door shut as I stood watching him in a daze. As I was broken from my trance, I turned away from the door and returning down the long corridor to the others. And he said he was nicer than the rest.

* * *

A/N: Ermagherd, I'm sorry that this took so long. I would promise that it won't take so long for the next one but then, I'll just end up disappointing you people so..._yeah. _Thanks for reading! 3


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